Automatic timer.



G. WRIGHT. AUTOMATIC TIMER. APPLICATION FILED, DEC. 24, 190s.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910. Y

a A l Inventor: Gilbert Wright, la Ltg, y .tt'yv .UNTTED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT WRIGHT, OF SGHENECTADY, YORK, ASSIGrNOIR,v T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TIMER.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 15, 1910 Application filed December 24,1908. Serial No. 469,085. i

' cation.

sulat'ion, through are s ,I thehub. The hub and spools are supported By ,the conductors, which are secured by a This invention relates to multicylinderiiiternal combustion engines, and its object is to provide an improved device for 'timing the instant of firing the explosive charges in the several cylinders. The customary means for accomplishing this is a rotating contact cooperating with a series of stationary contacts, and my invention is a timer of this general description.

The features of novelty -are hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a vertical section and Fig. 2 across-section of my improved ti'mer, while Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the movable contact.

The stationary element of the timer is a tubular hub l through which are led the insulated conductors 2, corresponding in number to the cylinders of the engine, in which said conductors are connected with the spalkl plugs. A sup ly conductor 3 is also led into the hub and isvele'ctrically connected therewith; preferably by means of a nut 4 screwed into the eici of the preferably provided with bushings 5 o'inwhich the conductors 2 are distributed to the stationary contacts 6.

'These are preferably made cylindrical or spool-shape and there is a separate spool for each conductor, and said spoolsare supported in openings in flanges 7 projecting from the hub. The spools are insulated from the flanges by 'insulating bushings 8, and aced at equal distances apart around clamp 9, attached to the frame of the engine and provided with a heavy insulating ushing 10 and washer 11.

A casing 12 surrounds the hub and spools, and is so mounted as to -be rotatable concentric therewith, preferably by securing it to the end Aof a shaft 13 in alinement with the.

l hub and -attached to the end of the conductor 3. Near the lower end of the hub are radial holes,v

-and thus give a ball. bearing, consisting ofV a grooved ring 14 carried by the casing, and a chamfered flange 15 on the hub, which forms with a beveled nut 16, adjacent thereto, a raceway for the balls 17. Said nutengages with screw threads formed on the4 end portion of the hub outside of the flange 15. The end ofthe casing opposite its point of attachment to the shaft'13 is closed by a cap 18,

secured by screws 19, entering an internal flange 12 on the casing. On the inside of t-he casing are projections 2O which contain. perforationsv to receive a pin 21 on which is pivoted the.movab1e contact, comprising a spring late 22 having members or fingers 23 whic rest and ride upon the peripheries of the langes 7 on the hub. Between said fingers is au'inwardly curved portion v24; wh1ch is adapted to touch the central portions of the spools between the flanges 7. as the casing revolves, and thus-closethe circuit between the supply conductor .3 and the successive conductors 2 connected with the spools since portion '24 is in electrical connection with members or lingers 23. The spring plate isdoubled upon itself to form an eye 25 for the pivot pin, and this construction valso provides an 'arm 26 whichbears a ainst'the inside of the casing and urges te lingers 23 against the flanges 7. The pin 21 is locatedin line with one of" the screws 19, so that when the cap'18 is- -unffastened and the hub with its spools .and

ball bearmgs is lifted o ut of the casing, the spring cont-act can then be released by sliding the pin up through the screw hole. The

distancey froml the face of the curved contact portion 24 of the movable contact to the aces of the iin ers 23 thatbear on the flanges or supporti-ng e' 'ernents 7 is less than that befv 95 tween the peripheries ofrsaid` flanges and the outer surfaces of the spools, so that the end of the spring will be raised .slightly as it passesv the spools. In order to preserve -this relative proportion ofl theseparts, l'the 100 bearing surface of the fingers on the flanges. is so proportioned to that of the contact 24 on the pins that theywill all wear equally the same amount of contact even after long use. with lubricating oil which also serves to extinguish the sparks at the 'contacts The axis of the driving shaft 18 which rotates the casing'may be either vertical or hori- The -casing is filled drainage port 27 may be made in the lower end of the casing, and closed by a removable screw 28.

ln order to provide for advancing or retarding, the spark intthe engine cylinders, a lever 29' is secured to the upper end of the hub, byv means of :which said hub can be given av slight angular movement. ln so doing,- the conductors 2 lvvill tvrist slightly between the stationary clamp at the top and the holes in the hub through Whichthey are led out at the bottom.

.The principal advantages of my invention are that there are no moving Wires outside of lthe timer; no adjustments to Work loose; the movable contact is a simple, light and easily replaceable part, which will not jump or hammer; it is self-adjusting for Wear; and the entire device is easily constructed and of moderate cost.

What l cla-im as nen7 and desire to secure by Letters Fatent ot' the United States, is,-

l. A timer for' internal combustion engines, comprising a tubular hub, a plurality of contacts carriedthereby and insulated therefrom, insulated conductors ledthrough saili hub and connected respectively with 'said contacts, a casing rotatable concentric with said hub, and a movable contact carried by said casing. I l

2. A timer for internal combustion engines,-comprising a tubular hub, a plurality of contacts carried therebyv and insulated therefrom, insulated conductors led through said hub and connected With said contacts, a casing surrounding said hub, a contact carried by said casing, ball bearings between said hub and casing, and means -lor rotating said casingt 3. A timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a 1tubular hub having nanges, a plurality ot contacts carried by but insulated from saidyanges, insulated conductors led through said hub and connected with said contacts, a rotatable casing concentric with said hub, and a contact carried by said casing and bearing on said flanges.

4t. A timer for internal combustion enginas, comprising a tubular hub having flanges a plurality orn spools carried by but insulated from said flanges, insulated conductors led through said hub and connected with-said spools, a rotatable casing concen-y tric with said hub, and a spring Contact earried by said casing and adapted to bear on said flanges and make contact with said spools,

esame' 5. A 'timer for internal combustion cngines comprising a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact composed of contact members and a portion in electrical connection therewith adapted to malte contact with the stationary contacts, and supporting elements on which said members rest, the Wearing surfaces of the members on said supporting elements being of such an area as to wear down equally With the coperating surfaces of the movable and stationary contacts.

6. A timer for internal combustion engines comprising a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact composed of iingers and a portion in electrical connection therewith adapted to make contact with the stationary contacts, and supporting elements on which said fingers rest, the Wearing surfaces of the lingers on said supporting elements being of such an area as to Wear down equally with the'coperating surfaces of the stationary contacts and the vportion of the movable contact coperating therewith.

7. A timer for internal combustion engines, comprising a tubular hub having flanges, a plurality of spools carried by but insulated from said flanges, insulated conductors led through said hub and connected With said spools, a rotatable casing concentric With said hub, and a spring contact carried by said casing and having lingers bearing on said llanges and a contact portion adapted to touch said stationary contacts as the casing revolves.

8. A timer for internal combustion engines, 'comprising a tubular hub having flanges, a plurality oli' spools carried by but insulated from said HangeS, insulated conductors led through said hub and connected with said spools, a rotatable casing concen4 tric With said hub, and a spring contact carried by said casing, and having fingers bearing on said flanges and a Contact portion 1n electrical connection therewith adapted to touch said stationary contacts as the casing revolves, the wearing surfaces olf said on said flanges being of such as to weer down equally Wit-h the cooperating su of the contact portion of the spring contact and the spools.

ln Witness whereof, l have hereiixnto set my band this 21st day of Becember, 1908.

llitnesses:

BENJAMIN B. .3i-ULL HELEN Gerona 

